CHAPTER 10 : CHEERS

We woke up to the chirping of birds and a cool morning breeze.

It was probably about 7 am. Heikelos seemed like he had a lovely night's rest big man, and a super sweet boy in one. His hair was standing a end, and his shirt and boots were out. He said he was going to start preparing coffee for us.

Anna sat blushed cheeks holding her dress up in front of her torso. Looking at me and then Elizabeth.

Elizabeth looked at me first when from woke up. And then touched her bum and legs to check if I had done anything to her. Which I did not. My stab kind of made me feel injured also, so we just lay the night, sleeping together peacefully.

I said to her softly, "I didn't. I was more of a mattress and blanket than a bastard last night."

She looked at me, embarrassed but smiling with injury like a memory in her eyes.

Heikelos clanged the tin cups and breathed out masculine to gain Anna and everyone else's attention.

"Coffee is almost served, my dear fellow comeradez", "I bless it thee, I bless it though, I pray for sweetness, and a warm loving blow" and made a religious hand gesture to the sky kissing his fingers before tapping his chest.

We all smiled widely and received our coffee cups with sincere gratitude from Heikelos.

'A good morning' I thought to myself. Everyone, too, as Heikelos and Anna's gratitude was a deep, embracing kiss over the coffee.

I looked over at Elizabeth, avoiding watching them and finding her locked eyes with me; it seemed she had been observing me for a long time.

She had this soft smile on her lips, and I went over and gave her a bear hug, avoiding touch or injury to the wounds. And a quick kiss in the neck, then I whispered "good morning" in her left ear.

She had goosebumps. And the wind also picked up at the same time.

"Time to go." "Time to go." Heikelos and I said in unison.

"Get the horses," Anna said. "Let's get out of here," Heikelos said.

They have started finishing each other's sentences.

Elizabeth got in the carriage with my jacket over her shoulders, and Anna followed. They both got dressed in two very flattering pink and orange dresses. Their hair was done real fancy, and I don't know where they got the makeup from but amazing, two stunning girls were being escorted by Heikelos and myself, Butezda.

All was well, we cleaned up our camping area and climbed on the rider's carriage seat.

"Well Heikelos, where are we heading?"

"Well, Butezda, I thought we could show the girls the beach, but with what happened, I feel strain on the topic. Perhaps more unforeseen circumstances. I suggest we pack up our stash houses and get our arses back on the Ship.."

"She's called Maroontov; it's the Maroontov Heikelos," I said.

"Well back on the ship Maroontov and sail our way out of here, with the two girls incapable of escape" barely whispering the end of it with his face near mine. Smiling big eyed.

"We heard that!" "Yeah...!" feminine voices said from the carriage.

Mumbling something to each other. We couldn't make out.

"What do you say? Hm Butezda? ay!?"

"ay! let's do that, we'll need to fix her up though" I said concerned. She can only do 3 sails and then it's sunken tales and you know dead men tell no tales."

Heikelos frowned at my statement and slapped at the reins to go.

We fetched some tools from our secret hideouts and went to the ship.

She looked exactly the same as how we left her except a piece from the crows nest's ladder boards were hanging loose.

We lived on the ship with the two women for the next 5 months working very hard at fixing Maroontov up for sailing.

They loved it and had tea parties on deck playing Sailor and all sorts of stories.

We fixed Maroontov up 60%. We needed sails, rope, and a better rudder for steering.

We spent the next four months in our separate hideouts as couples. Collecting our things and what knots. It was Winter.

Elizabeth loved my hideout and the food I prepared we became instinctive with each other from the caveman like abode.

I got to know her on a deep level even though she did not talk much. Her body language and eyes spoke so lively that the time flew by quickly.

By the chirping of Spring birds, we awoke together like husband and wife in a nice, quite fancy mountain cave.

We must meet Heikelos and Anna by the ship today, I told Elizabeth. "Whatever you want darling she said with a soft smile, yawning." However, her frown puzzled me. Maybe my pre-feeling of a fair maiden lady being in a cave saddened her femininity.

We got up and dressed.

She got dressed and did her hair more wild-like. The dress she wore was one of my mother's dresses. I only had 2 that remained from the ship's endearments.

I thought all she needed was some earrings to go with her outfit. The dress was gray with blue. It really brought out her eyes.

We signaled Heikelos and Anna with whistles and left for the Ship carrying our cargo. Elizabeth had made some pots and twig utensils whilst we were in the Cave as did Anna apparently, they were delighted to see each other and embraced each other whilst jumping, gossiping like two young girls.

"How refreshing." Heikelos said joyous but serious toned. I looked at him and him at me both knowing what the other one was saying and all that from having observed body language for 4 months. "Sensitive" is all I said to that.

We reached the ship, and all was well.

"This calls for a meeting," I said.

"Everyone, Heikelos, Anna,, Elizabeth. Gather round, please."

They did. "What is it, Butezda?" Heikelos asked. "Yes, what is the matter?" Anna said joyously.

Elizabeth swinged from a rope all cool by herself looking at me knowingly.

"Do we acquire ourselves a crew, or do we sail solo via automanual rope manoeuvres?"

"Auto!" Anna exclaimed.

"Manual." Elizabeth followed.

Heikelos said. "hm, final vote. I have the final vote, perhaps I say we let the others know of our departure? nay, nay (looking at Anna) bad idea. Auto it is!"

"3 votes say Autonomous!" I say, "how could I not?" and we cheers to the agreement.